A King’s Obstinacy and the Church’s Last Hope

“Welcome back, Sister Antolia.”Upon her return to the church, both the nuns and monks greeted the sister before them.Anto, in turn, naturally reciprocated their salutations, approaching Bishop Rhys to hand him a list.

“I’ve finally managed to bring back some supplies.Though not many, they are all urgently needed items.”

“Well done.No, more than well done—simply brilliant,” Rhys exclaimed, unable to contain his praise.He knew that every one of his trips to the city hall felt akin to infiltrating an enemy stronghold, where he’d sense the palpable tension that suggested hundreds might rush out to claim his head if a single cup were to drop.Yet, Anto had effortlessly secured a substantial amount of supplies.’Could Anto truly be a divine blessing sent by God?’ he mused.His previously gloomy mood brightened slightly as he walked to the other side of the room, retrieved a letter, and turned back to address Anto.

“I have some good news.This month, I managed to connect with several neighboring churches.At least a few have replied, proving that there are still devout believers within the diocese.Though they are all struggling, they have offered a certain degree of financial support.After I reached out, most of them wrote back, but the content of their replies…”

“Requests for aid,” Anto interjected, articulating it before Rhys could even finish.“For them, the sudden arrival of letters from the Grand Cathedral signifies that someone from above is finally preparing to take charge.Such a reaction is entirely normal.From their perspective, the diocese must finally be recovering from its period of shock and resuming operations, correct?”

“Yes, precisely,” Rhys affirmed, a hint of bitterness shadowing his expression.“Unfortunately, this might not be good news for us.The negotiations between the Kingdom and myself are still ongoing, and the King’s stance is disturbingly clear and unyielding.In his view, I should grovelingly surrender the church’s assets to the Kingdom, allowing it to become their primary base for training Holy Light users.”

“If Holy Light can be wielded by those who are not monks of the Holy See, then what purpose does the Holy See itself serve?” Anto suddenly inquired.

Rhys turned to her, responding, “That’s an excellent question, Anto.You must understand that individuals like yourself, who are naturally born with the ability to use Holy Light—innate Holy Light awakeners—are exceedingly rare in this world, typically requiring an exceptionally sacred bloodline.Most people acquire this power of faith through the Holy See’s blessing rituals and sacred vows.The awakening ritual is unique to the church; even the Transmigrators (TL Note: Individuals from another world who have crossed over into this one, often possessing unique knowledge or abilities.) who have appeared here have been unable to decipher it.Thus, Holy Light is our exclusive weapon, and it is precisely the most potent ability for combating dark creatures.The phrase ‘Holy Light guides the path, leading us through the darkest times’ is neither an exaggeration nor a mere platitude.At this very moment, with the Holy See’s system collapsing, it is precisely because we, the church’s clergy, still possess the protection of Holy Light that the order has merely fragmented rather than being utterly destroyed.It is Holy Light that grants us the continued right to negotiate with the authorities for our very survival.This is the last vestige of our faith.We can sell ornate decorative paintings, sell symbolic silver crucifixes, even sell the very land we inhabit, but Holy Light is the ultimate core of our faith.Surely, we cannot sell even that to others, for then there would truly be nothing left.”

“But the King doesn’t agree with that.”

“He refuses to acknowledge anything.Frankly, it’s evident from his preparations to completely cut off our supplies that he seems to have lost a degree of his sanity.”

Rhys spoke quietly.“There was a time when the Holy See’s power was formidable, heavily suppressing royal authority.Archbishops, in certain public settings, could even command greater deference than the King himself.The religious orders were capable of forming their own armed forces in border nations.In such an era, the very existence of a state seemed to serve the church.Even though the Holy See would disburse national subsidies annually, the profits they reaped from these nations were ten, even a hundred times what they gave.Now, with the arrival of Otherworlders, the Holy See has lost its influence, and the Kingdom’s royal power has begun to assert its supremacy.Naturally, they are unwilling to revert to those former days.For this very reason, the King of Draynes is deeply wary of the Holy See, fearing its resurgence in the future.It’s truly ironic: the Otherworlders overthrew us due to the Holy See’s persecution, yet it is the very kingdoms that once swore allegiance to us who now truly wish to see us vanish without a trace, leaving no bones behind.”

“Indeed,” Anto sighed.“In such circumstances, fulfilling the expectations of those external churches is practically impossible, isn’t it?”

“Unless we can negotiate a resolution,” Rhys stated bluntly.“Either that old stubborn fool concedes, or I do.I am unwilling to compromise, and he seeks to force my hand.Frankly, even the foreign minister understands diplomatic etiquette; they wouldn’t push someone to their death, at least offering a slightly more palatable compromise.But this King—he’s an idiot.He believes that, being high above, he can command the winds and rain within his own kingdom, doing whatever he pleases.And the problem is…”

“He genuinely can, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Anto said with a helpless chuckle.“Alright, alright.So, when is your next negotiation scheduled?May I participate?”

“Of course, if you wish,” Rhys replied naturally.“These past days, thanks to you, Anto… how should I put it?Truthfully, ever since the Holy See’s collapse, while maintaining this place and confronting these difficulties, my faith has wavered somewhat.I even considered giving up.”

“But you persevered.”

“That’s because there are still people who need this place to exist.The children in the orphanage—I couldn’t simply abandon them and walk away.Many left, but those who remained merely hoped to endure for as long as possible… In a daze, more than a decade has passed.Then, you arrived,” Rhys said, looking at Anto.

“…”

“You must admit, it’s a miracle.Regardless, had I not been so unyielding, had I agreed to their terms, our circumstances at this very moment would be vastly different.It is precisely because of the decisions we made that, in the unseen depths, everything took a turn for the better,” Rhys said with a smile.“Isn’t this truly the best arrangement from heaven, Sister Antolia?”

“…Perhaps so, Bishop Rhys,” Anto finally conceded, hearing his words.“Then, please bring me along for the next negotiation with the Kingdom.I also need to make a trip to the orphanage; I’ll leave the distribution of supplies to you, Your Grace.”

“Go on, just don’t forget to be back before dinner,” Rhys said, nodding.Anto turned and departed.At that moment, Rhys looked up and spoke.

“Sister Anto.”

“Hmm?”

“…You are a presence that instills hope,” Rhys finally said.

“And days filled with hope are always far better than those that came before.”